


No Doors are Ever Shut

by sleepyqueerboi



Series: The Trying to Survive Universe [3]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Gen, Suicide Attempt, This is heavy, Thomas is his dad, Trans Male Character, Trans Male Virgil Sanders, Transphobia, teenage trans virgil is Suffering
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-28
Updated: 2020-02-28
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:07:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22936069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleepyqueerboi/pseuds/sleepyqueerboi
Summary: A jump backwards into Virgil's teenage years proves to be,,, a heavy topic.(Part of the Trying to Survive universe, can be read alone but I'd recommend reading the main story as well, I felt more for Virgil knowing all the stuff I put him through in Trying to Survive and then this on top of it)
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Thomas Sanders
Series: The Trying to Survive Universe [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1458112
Comments: 4
Kudos: 53





	No Doors are Ever Shut

“Virgil? Come on bud, it's dinner time,” Thomas Sanders, a fairly young single dad, was standing outside of his teenage son’s bedroom. Virgil had had… a tough few years, he had been withdrawing from the world, and Thomas was worried, especially when Virgil stopped coming down ten minutes before dinnertime like he always had.

“No,” Virgil’s voice cracked as he called through the door, which immediately made Thomas worry more.

“Virg, are you crying? What happened?” There was silence, a long, drawn-out silence, before Virgil’s door slowly creaked open, revealing Virgil, his hair messy and eyes red. He had obviously been crying. “Oh Virg, come here,” Thomas gently pulled his son into a hug, and Virgil melted, sobs coming out louder now.

“They won't leave me alone, dad,” Virgil’s voice was muffled as his head was buried in Thomas’ chest, and he was trembling.

“Who won’t?”

“Those kids, they won't stop bullying me for being a boy,” Virgil’s crying intensified, and Thomas couldn't help but tighten the hug slightly. He had heard about a few bullies being rude towards Virgil but had no idea that it had escalated to the point that Virgil was crying over it. That broke Thomas’ heart, seeing his son so broken up over this.

“I’ll call the school tomorrow, okay? Nobody should be allowed to tell you what you are and aren't, you're my son no matter what you were born as, you hear me?” Virgil sniffled and nodded slightly, before slowly pulling away from the hug and beginning to rub his eyes. 

“Th-thank you, dad…”

“Anything for my boy. Now, come on, dinner’s going to get cold.”

Thomas had indeed called up Virgil's school the next day, and the headmaster himself said that they would look into the incidents, so he felt content that the issue would be resolved. However, over the next six months, Virgil didn't seem to be doing any better. His hair had been growing longer, and Thomas was noticing that Virgil was leaving his more masculine clothing in the wash. It was worrying, he knew that Virgil would've said something if his gender identity had shifted, but it felt as if Virgil was almost trying to reverse his transition so far, at least to the outside world. God, if only Thomas knew what had really been going on…

It was a Saturday in May, not a cloud in the sky, and the sun was shining bright. However, Thomas hadn't heard a single noise from Virgil’s bedroom all day or seen him come down for breakfast or lunch. By late afternoon, Thomas decided to see what was going on.

“Virgil, you okay bud? It’s nearly 4 pm and I haven't seen you come down yet, I’m just checking.” There was no response, and when Thomas put his ear to the door, he couldn't hear Virgil’s light snoring, so he wasn't asleep. So, Thomas knocked sharply on the door. “Virgil! If you don't answer me in three seconds I’m going to open this door!” 1… Still nothing, not even a shuffle of paper. 2… Thomas hadn't seen Virgil open a window, and couldn't hear his fan, wasn't he roasting in his room? 3. “Alright bud I’m coming in-” Thomas opened the door and took three steps in, before gasping, horrified. “Oh my god… oh my god, Virgil!” Virgil was lying facedown on the floor, only in his pyjamas, and there was an empty pill bottle in one of his hands. At the sight, Thomas felt himself going into panic mode, and it became a blur as he fumbled to call 911, stuttering to explain what he was witnessing, and praying against all odds that he wasn't too late.

Thomas couldn't even register the time passing, as it felt like years were dragging by as he waited at the side of Virgil’s hospital bed for him to wake up. The doctors have done everything to save Virgil from the overdose, and now all that was left to do was wait to see if Virgil was alright.

At one point, Thomas got up to go find some form of caffeine, he was starting to crash and didn't want to be asleep when Virgil woke up, and when he came back, there Virgil was, sitting up and looking out of the window, but he turned as Thomas opened the door, eyes already welling up with tears.

“Virgil, oh thank goodness you're awake!” Thomas put down the small coffee he had managed to acquire and pulled Virgil into a hug.

“I’m sorry, dad,” Virgil mumbled, and Thomas had to bite back tears. Jeez, what had Virgil been through that he felt the need to end his own life? And then apologise for it?

“You have no reason to apologise, bud…” Thomas’ voice was shaky, but he no longer cared, at least he had his son back in his arms. “I’m just sorry I didn’t realise sooner how bad it had gotten.”

“It… got worse when they found out you called the school… I just didn't want you to feel bad about it…” Oh, of course, that made sense. Virgil never wanted him to feel like he made a parenting mistake, no matter what it was. Thomas slowly ended the hug, before kneeling down to Virgil’s eye level and placing his hands on his son’s shoulders.

“Let’s get you a haircut, alright? Something short, like what you had before, and then I can get you moved to a better school, one where you won't have to be out to the entire school. Nobody'll have to know if you don't want them to.” 

“Dad, I-” Virgil was stunned, probably unsure of what to say. 

“Hey, it's okay. I just want what's best for my son.” Then it was Virgil’s turn to initiate a hug, his face pressed into Thomas’ shoulder. He was crying again, but Thomas just returned the hug, letting him cry it out if he wanted to.

“I love you, dad…” Virgil eventually choked out, and Thomas gently patted his back.

“I love you too, son.”


End file.
